The Ethics Daily website reports today (July 3, 2011) that China's state-run Catholic Church on June 29 ordained a bishop without approval of Pope Benedict XVI -- just three days after police arrested the pope's choice for a bishop of another Chinese diocese.
The Rev. Paul Lei Shiyin was ordained as bishop of Leshan. The seven bishops who ordained Lei included the president of the state-run Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association (CPCA).
For more than 50 years, China's 12 million to 15 million Catholics have been divided between the CPCA and an "underground" church of Catholics loyal to the pope. There have been several confrontations between the CPCA -- which has become more militant -- and the Vatican in recent months.
On June 26, police in Handan arrested the Rev. Joseph Sun Jigen, whose Vatican-approved ordination as coadjutor (designated successor) bishop of the diocese had been scheduled for June 29.
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